Learning Disability Services

Service Summary

Nicola Cowley and Ben Haywood are our learning disability nurses.

Nicola can offer support if you have to come to York Hospital. For Scarborough, Whitby, Malton and Bridlington then contact Ben.

If you need hospital care and have a learning disability, they can support you and your family. Hospital care might mean staying overnight in hospital or just going for an appointment. Nicola and Ben will help you and the hospital staff get to know each other and will make sure the staff know how to make you feel most at ease.

If you have to come to hospital please contact them and they will find out how to make you feel comfortable in hospital. They can make plans and get information for the hospital staff. This will help you to get the care you need in the way that you need it. If your hospital visit is planned Nicola and Ben may try to visit you beforehand so you can get to know what is happening and who is who.

If you are staying in hospital for a while Nicola and Ben will visit you to make sure staff are using your plan. They will try and answer any questions you have and if can't answer them straight away they will find out for you. Nicola and Ben will also help your family and carers and answer their questions too.

The learning disability nurse also:

gives advice and training to hospital staff so that they give better care to you in the future.
will attend other health group meetings to get your views when they can

Contact us

How to contact the learning disability service...

You can ask your carer or family to do this. Your community nurse or a person that supports you can also do it if you are unable to.

Contact details:

Telephone: 01904 726296 / 01723 236217

You can also email Nicola and Ben at Nicola.Cowley@york.nhs.uk Ben.Haywood@york.nhs.uk

Service availability

The service is available from Monday to Friday 9.00am to 4.30pm.

Getting to the hospital

You can access information about getting to the hospital here.